James Ojo, Abuja
Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Alhaji Abubakar Candido, has sued for peace and cooperation with security agents following two days of protest which rocked the city.
Police and members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), otherwise known as Shi’ites, had clashed leading to the death of a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), a reporter with the Channels Television, and members of the Shi’ites, even as many others sustained various degrees of injuries.
Expressing worry over the breach of peace at a briefing yesterday, Candido said it has become imperatives to appeal to the residents of Abuja to disclose to security agents strange people living among them.
“I want to appeal to house owners, particularly in the suburbs, who rent their houses to people to be circumspect and ascertain the true identity of their would-be tenants.
“As a community based council, we have decided to help find solution to any breach of peace like we witnessed in the past few days. It has resolved to help in finding solution to security challenges so that everybody will sleep with two eyes closed,” he explained.
The AMAC boss stated the in view of the fact that members of the Islamic movement live among us according to intelligent reports, security agents should be informed so that their movement would be monitored.
He tasked district heads, village heads and other traditional rulers to cooperate with the security agencies and admonished residents to be wary of people of questionable characters around them.
The chairman commended the efforts of the Local Council Marshals to rid the council of bad elements and urged them not to relent in cooperating with other security agencies in ensuring that the peace of the city is not breached again.
The Shi’ites had embarked on a protest demanding for the release of their spiritual leader, El Zakzaky from custody, which turned violent when they were challenged by the police.